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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMin - PR - 2007.12.02MEETING MINUTES Special Meeting of the Burlingame Parks & Recreation Commission Sunday, December 2, 2007 The regular meeting of the Burlingame Parks & Recreation Commission was called to order by Chairman Dittman at 10:00 am at the Ray Park snack shack, 1525 Balboa Ave, Burlingame. ROLL CALL Commissioners Present: Dittman, Shanus, Castner-Paine, Comaroto, Carlton, La Mariana, Fisher (10:15 am) Commissioners Absent: None Staff Present: Parks & Recreation Director Schwartz; Account Clerk III Butler; Recreation Supervisor Mutto; MTEP Brewer Others Present: Ray Reudy, 1609 Ray Dr., Craig Scaysky, 716 Bayswater, Gary Bell, 1016 Drake Ave, Eric Zankman, 1512 Cabrillo Ave., Zita & John Escobosa, 1516 Adeline Dr., Kimberly Rosales, 1504 Cortez Ave., Barry Ehlers, 1504 Bernal Ave., Suzie O'Halloran, 1713 Ray Dr., James, 1516 Cortez Ave., Allen Mensuci, 1529 Albemarle, Mary O'Reilly, 1544 Albemarle, Margaret & Angela Chen, 1519 Ray Dr., Elizabeth & Kevin Raffaelli, 1704 Devereaux Dr., Melissa & Bill Smith, 1557 Balboa Way, Bill Allan, 1509 Cortez, George & Dorothea Chrisman, 1608 Devereaux Dr., Sarah O'Connor, 1556 Balboa Ave., Gary Reichard, 1604 Devereaux Dr, Teresa Post, 1617 Coronado Way, Laurel Kane, 1608 Coronado Way, Tory Cacciato, 1600 Adeline, D./D & Madison & Morgan McKeever, 2133 Poppy Dr., M. & Marty Galvin, 1640 Monte Corvino, Bill Hoeksema, 215 Anita Rd., John Saucedo, 925 Larkspur Dr., Gary Stephens, 29 Dwight Rd., Tim Chafee, 222 Myrtle Rd., #4, Robert, Anne & Katy Hoeksema, 1112 Balboa Ave., Eric Christman, 215 Humboldt Rd., Mitchell Oliver, 1808 Devereux, Donna Colson, 2616 Hale Dr., Julianna Brice, 1224 Bernal Ave., Melissa Christmann, 215 Humboldt Rd., Courtney Oliver, 1808 Devereux Dr., Paige Galvin, 1640 Monte Corvino Way, Raine Armanino, 1120 Juanita Ave., Roxann & Samantha Loose, 1208 Bernal Ave. MINUTES The Minutes of the November 15, 2007 regular meeting were approved as submitted. PUBLIC COMMENTS — None Parks & Recreation Commission Minutes December 2, 2007 — Page 2 OLD BUSINESS Chairperson Hesselgren opened the discussion for both Old Business topics (A) Burlingame Girls Softball's Use of Ray Park on Sundays for Practices and Games and (B) Installation of a Batting Cage at Ray Park. Director Schwartz read the league's proposal for use of Ray Park on Sundays and the installation of a batting cage at the Park. He also explained that girls from BGS would be taking practice for approximately 45 minutes while the Commissioners and public could circulate around the park to better understand the impacts of Sunday practices and the noise impacts of a batting cage. After a brief discussion, girls from BGS took infield and batting practice on fields 1 & 2. The group then re -assembled Lincoln School gymnasium. Donna Colson, President of Burlingame Girls Softball, read the league's proposal for use of Ray Park on Sundays and the installation of a batting cage at the Park. She also showed a video of the league's players and games. Hesselgren opened the public comment section of the meeting. The following points were brought forth by the public: • Concern regarding Impact on life and neighborhood & Parking problem. • Not good Picture today because it is winter • Park is designed to be an open field not a sport arena • Possible additional Parking, - Extend fence to add parking • Ray Park cannot solve all issues. Park is too small to accommodate batting cage, Alternative park for a cage • Sundays only day families can use the park • Batting cage: the girls us a carbon fiber bat and dimpled ball that mitigates the noise. It will not be as noisy as boys batting cage. There are options to make cage sound proof. There are some "see through" materials that are soundproof. • Location of batting cage concern. Decision of batting cage without deciding on a location could be obtrusive to the strip of nature still left • Gender equity and other fields; Easter Sunday & Mothers day off limits Park used part day only so families can still use it • School kids are not allowed past basketball court so not a safety issue. • Ray park different because it only has one green field, look at traffic pattern of the park; nothing should be done with cages without some questions answered first • Park is for everybody • Park is being overused — Father's Day is championship game day • Community Park, constant noise, school children climbing on batting cage a possible issue Parks & Recreation Commission Minutes December 2, 2007 — Page 3 • Requested Sundays for tournament and no other Sundays, now asking for Sunday practices, what will they ask for next? • Bought home knowing there was a park across the street. Agree that parking may be an issue although Sunday practice will have minimal impact. • BGS offered to move tournament — did not happen • Are other facilities available? Don't have to have batting cage @ place you play games • Batting cage is a great tool for batting teaching. • BGS only asking for 10 of 52 Sundays a year. Playing softball raises confident, independent young women in our community • Sunday practice, parking not as bad, drop off, carpool or walking • Inequity between boy baseball an girls softball • Outside of Burlingame more competitive because of field use • Safety: batting with out a cage is more dangerous. Cage keeps the ball away from the playground • Sound level meter to measure noise. Ambient noise in the park is at 48 DB (level of a conversation in a house); the activity level was at 64 DB max in front of the houses (ball not hitting pad); the train going by was 55.5 DB and cars going by were about 76 DB • Neighbors should have right to have the park one day a week • Other parks used on Sundays that are available to boys • Green grass is available to neighbors while practice is going on, girls don't hit it out of the infield • Comfortable with practice on Sundays • Wants to know more about cage as the park is the view out of our back window Hesselgren closed the public comment section of the meeting. Commission Discussion Commissioner Castner-Paine inquired as to the usage of the Ray Park by BGS Monday — Friday. Schwartz answered that last year BGS had use of the field from 3pm to dark and all day on Saturdays. Commissioner Hesselgren asked if BGS is scheduled for this year on field 1 from 3:00 to 4:45pm. Schwartz stated that this year BGS gave up that field practice time to Mercy High School. Commissioner Shanus asked if there was a breakdown of field usage between BGS and BYBA. Schwartz distributed and explained the information to the Commissioners. Shanus noted that BGS has a higher percentage of field use time than BYBA at this point. Commissioner Fisher asked if the request for practice on Sundays was to have games during the week or to extend practice time. Schwartz stated the intent was to extend practice time. Hesselgren asked if Sunday space is available at other fields to BGS. Schwartz said there was Sunday space available on the schedule. Parks & Recreation Commission Minutes December 2, 2007 — Page 4 Fisher asked if there were any blueprints for the proposed batting cage and if it would require a city permit to build. Schwartz said there are no plans at this time and there would be an agreement in place with the City regarding structural use, etc. if the installation was approved. Schwartz also explained that the agreement would call for BGS to be the primary user of the facility but other local non-profit groups would have access. Commissioner Comaroto stated that he felt the issues on both sides are reasonable. The impact on the park usage on Sundays was the real issue. He inquired if BHS availability would make the Ray Park issue go away. Schwartz said that BGS user reps prefer to use Ray Park because BHS field does not have open bathrooms for the girls use and BGS does not have storage facilities at the High School. Commissioner Carlton asked if the current machine used by BGS is compatible in other cages. Schwartz said the machine is compatible but the moving of the equipment is the concern. It would be an additional cost to purchase equipment to store at the other cages. Hesselgren asked if there has ever been a request to make other fields user friendly for BGS. Schwartz responded no request has been made to the Department but does not know if a request has been made to the High School. Carlton asked if all the cages are available on a year round basis. Schwartz stated that cage use is typically from the end of February to July and then used for Fall Ball. The cages are not used in August, November, December and January. Comaroto asked if BGS was asking for 10 or 11 Sundays per year. Schwartz reported they were asking for 10 Sundays per year. Hesselgren inquired if there were any other Sundays available anywhere else. Schwartz explained the fields are closed in the rainy season to maintain the integrity of the fields. La Mariana stated that all fields have been assigned and whether or not the groups choose to use the fields is the issue. Shanus noted that the fields are closed for 12 weeks and that the 10 Sunday request is a third of the leftover open field Sundays. Schwartz reported there was much public support for the use of Ray Park on Sundays by BGS as he received 65 plus emails from league members and supporters, which he presented to the Commission. He also presented a letter from BYBA endorsing the use of the Park by BGS and two emails of dissention from community members. Castner-Paine pointed out that the park should be used by the girls and the neighbors; that the girls should not have exclusive use of the park. Parks & Recreation Commission Minutes December 2, 2007 — Page 5 In response to a question from Comaroto, Mutto stated that the park is closed to scheduled events and is used for drop -in play only. Schwartz pointed out that a group of cricket players has been the predominant field user on Sundays for the past couple of years. After a brief discussion on the sound of the pitching machines, Hesselgren stated that the noise issue is from the bats and backstops, not from the pitching machine. Castner-Paine suggested that story -poles be in place before the Commission makes a decision on a permanent batting cage. MOTION by Comaroto (seconded by La Mariana): To approve proposal to allow Burlingame Girls Softball's Use of Ray Park on Sundays for Practices and Games with the adjustment of hours from 10:00 to 6: 00 pm to 10:00 — 4:00pm. MOTION FAILED 3-4. MOTION by La Mariana (seconded by Carlton): To approve proposal to allow Burlingame Girls Softball's Use of Ray Park on Sundays for Practices and Games with the adjustment of hours from 10:00 to 6: 00 pm to 10:00 — 2: 06pm. MOTION FAILED 3-4. MOTION by La Mariana: To approve proposal to allow the installation of a Batting Cage at Ray Park as proposed. MOTION FAILED for lack of a second. Comaroto suggested that the batting cage proposal be tabled until a location could be decided upon. MOTION by La Mariana (seconded by Comaroto): To allow the concept of a batting cage in the park so it can be explored by BGS. MOTION PASSED 4-3. NEW BUSINESS Cuernavaca Playground - Schwartz asked the Commission for volunteers for the Playground Design Committee for Cuernavaca. Castner-Paine, Comaroto and Carlton volunteered for the Committee. NEXT MEETING The next meeting of the Parks & Recreation Commission is scheduled to be held on Thursday, January 17, 2008 at 7:00 p.m. at Burlingame City Hall. There being no further business to come before the Commission, the meeting was adjourned at 1:16 pm. Respectfully submitted, Joleen Butler Burlingame Parks & Recreation